Owning your own home

My new house has a warranty

Speedheater Cobra is the cheapest infra red stripper.

Cheers.

Although this is what ebay is currently throwing up:

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ebay deals & bargains thread >>>>>>>>

I don't imagine too many make it too eBay. You could probably sell one on here to the next person who wants to strip something. The diy thread has seen a few people buy them and have some success with them. I looked for a more locally produced version when I bought mine years ago but couldn't find anything.

Shopping history algorithm thread

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/124291718137

That is a different and much cheaper type of infra red emitter (ceramic). They do work but take a bit longer to heat the wood to the point where the paint detaches. I've heard they work fine if you can be patient. There is a big difference in price so it might suit some projects.

We moved out in July and have been renting in Ireland since, happy to rent for a while but we've agreed to buy a 0.75 acre plot near mrs. Colm89's parents with a view to building something

The managing agent has commissioned some works (with a section 20) to upgrade the ceilings and wiring in our block. Unbeknownst to us, that also means removing a couple of access doors (one for the electricity meter, the other for coal delivery (1930's block) with fire panel plasterboard to give a burn through time of 30 minutes.

However, to do this they're removing the door (wood) and leaving the frame (also wood), and ignoring the front door (wood, in a wood frame). Strikes me that this is performative rather than genuine change, and it's costing us thousands of pounds. Am I being too cynical?

Anyone after a set if matt black taps?

Bought those for my bathroom refurb but the depth of the controls (combined with the rear inlet) meant I could not fit them in my stud walls.

These are AliExpress finest. Paid £30 for them.

US $38.59 45%OFF | KEMAIDI Taps Fashion Wall Sink Basin Mixer Tap Set Bathroom Spout Faucet With Double Lever In Matt Black/Polished Gold
https://a.aliexpress.com/_B1qQqa

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Oh didn't know that, that's good to know. We'll look to do a proper conversion of the loft next year so handy to know.

On another note my misses is on the phone to Monzo as there is a transfer limit of £10k per day. Not great when a chunk more than that for the deposit is needed by the solicitors tomorrow to enable us to exchange 🤬

It's a ballache, but that's pretty standard for BACS transfer payments in most high street banks.

CHAPS costs, but is instant & effectively limitless.

[Edit] It probably goes without saying, but it's also good idea to phone your solicitor to validate their bank details, and never make a transfer based on email.

What do you want them to do - spend more and replace the frames and front door as well?

Maybe they are trying to do the bare minimum to get building regs approval without “unnecessary” costs? I am sure some leaseholders would support that strategy.

It's a ballache, but that's pretty standard for BACS transfer payments in most high street banks.

I thought that had gone up to £25k now with "faster payments". (Although it does require both accounts to be compatible.)

That bare minimum approach is what has caused the majority of the cladding crisis.

The scheme limit is £250,000, as I understand it, but individual banks can have their own limits up to and including this.

Certainly, but I’m not sure whether there is a read-across to maintenance work on a 90 year old building of convention construction.

Hive mind:
I have two chimney breats in the front room with a 1750mm gap between them which I would like ot turn into a big bookcase.

Issue is the breasts are different depths. Not sure why.

Ideally would like shelves to finish -20mm of flush from both sides but this isn't possible because the gap would be 20mm one side and 80mm the other side. What to do?

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Usually, bookcases are less deep than this gap. Do you want the bookcase to be 340mm deep?

It may look better to have one that's shallower, i.e. while you'd still be able to see that the chimney breasts are different, it might be less obvious?

(You may need the extra depth to have books in there two deep, of course.)

Vitsoe. You can have a 900 + 600 wide bay and adjust the shelf depths to suit. Although 360mm is the deepest shelf they do anyway. It's not an entirely serious suggestion though, I can't think of anything better right now.

Not sure why.

Let's hope it's just because of arbitrary measuring, as opposed to something more expensive...

Do the shelves need to be rectangles, or will any old irregular quadrilateral do?

You could stud out the shallower chimney breast if you wanted them equal.

simple! add 60mm more lime plaster to the wall of chimney 1! you're welcome.

You could panel it and shim the wonky end out by 60mm behind the cladding - don't have any exact examples but could look really nice

@hugo7 I bought one of those and gave up with it. Wasn't very good and found it fairly unwieldy

this was my initial thought. I've seen a good example but I can't find it right now. will keep looking